Walgreens to Acquire Drugstore.com

TechCrunch reported that drug store chain Walgreens will acquire Bellevue, Washington-based online retailer Drugstore.com in a deal valued at about $409 million USD.
Walgreen expects the deal to close by the end of June. Walgreen will acquire Drugstore.com’s name sake Web site as well as other online brands including Beauty.com and SkinStore.com.

Source: TechCrunch, 3/24/2011

AT&T to Acquire T-Mobile USA in $39 Billion Deal

AT&T plans to acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $39 billion USD. The agreement
has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies but must also win regulatory approval from the US Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission. The combination
of AT&T and T-Mobile USA would create the largest mobile carrier in the US. Both carriers’ wireless networks are GSM-based. In a press
release, AT&T said that, with the transaction, it is committing to “a significant expansion of robust 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) deployment to 95 percent of the US population to reach an additional 46.5 million Americans beyond current plans –
including rural communities and small towns.” AT&T said it believes the deal helps achieve the FCC’s goal to “connect every part of America to the digital age.” The carrier also said T-Mobile USA on its own “does not have a clear path to delivering LTE.”
AT&T has launched a Web site called Mobilize Everything that offers additional information about the transaction.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

FCC Approves CenturyLink, Qwest Merger

The Federal Communications Commission has approved the pending merger between CenturyLink and Qwest Communications. CenturyLink’s acquisition
of Qwest has also been approved by 20 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission. The companies expect to close the merger and combine operations on April 1, 2011, subject to receipt of the
remaining required regulatory approvals from two US states. The combined company will use the name CenturyLink and its stock will continue to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under CenturyLink’s current symbol, CTL.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Charter Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire 3 Cable TV Systems

Charter signed a definitive agreement to acquire three cable television systems, with a total of 17,000 customers, from Windjammer Communications. The systems are located in Fort Benning, Georgia; and Fort Payne
and Cullman, Alabama. The included infrastructure supports digital television, high-speed Internet, and phone. The acquisitions are expected to close some time during the third quarter of the year. No financial terms for the transactions were
disclosed.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

HP Purchases Vertica to Boost Analytics Portfolio

Hewlett-Packard (HP) completed its acquisition of Vertica Systems, an analytics platform company, a move that will allow it to better provide capability for managing large amounts of
data. The acquisition reflects HP’s strategic focus on cloud connectivity, allowing it to add real-time business analytics for complex sets of data, be it physical, virtual, or cloud based. The purchase was first announced in February.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

IBM to Acquire Real Estate Management Firm TRIRIGA

IBM signed an agreement to acquire TRIRIGA, a provider of facility and real estate management software solutions. The company intends to use the acquisition to improve its own ability to provide intelligence for
improving real estate performance, capital project management, and the outcomes of sustainability initiatives. IBM says the purchase will strengthen its Smarter Buildings initiative in three key areas: real estate portfolio management, capital project
management, and energy and environmental stability. The assets of TRIRIGA will be integrated into IBM Tivoli Software and IBM Global Business Services. No financial terms were disclosed.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

McAfee to Buy Database Security Vendor Sentrigo

McAfee announced this week that it will acquire Sentrigo, a privately-held provider of database security and compliance, assessment, and monitoring products. McAfee expects this move to boost its vulnerability
management offerings for databases. No financial terms were publicly disclosed.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Motorola Mobility Acquires Dreampark

Motorola Mobility announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Dreampark, which makes software for IPTV portals. Dreampark is based in Sweden. The acquisition is expected to close in the
second quarter of 2011; financial terms of the deal were not released. Dreampark will be integrated into Motorola Mobility’s Converged Experiences business, the company said.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Polycom Acquires Accordent Technologies

Polycom acquired Accordent Technologies, a provider of video content management and delivery solutions. Polycom plans to integrate the acquired company’s technology with its open standards UC Intelligent Core and UC
endpoints. Polycom says this will allow it to provide video capture solutions for all major video use cases. The transaction was completed for $50 million in cash. Polycom expects the deal to have no effect on its 2011 financials.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

ALLIANCES & JOINT VENTURES

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BroadVision, Human 1.0 to Provide Enterprise 2.0 Workshops

BroadVision announced it is working with Human 1.0 – a firm that focuses on business innovation services – to collaborate on enterprise 2.0 adoption workshops. The workshops
will be provided by industry experts, with backgrounds in IT, metrics and measurements, business processes, and human behavior. The companies are opening up the workshops for universities and other associations to apply to participate for free.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

HP, Shell Announce Breakthrough in Inertial Sensing

Hewlett-Packard and Shell announced a breakthrough in their jointly developed inertial sensing technology, which aims to record seismic data at much higher
sensitivity and at ultra-low frequencies than current technologies. The new onshore wireless seismic acquisition system is designed to provide a clearer understanding of the earth’s subsurface, thus increasing the possibility of discovering greater
quantities of oil and gas to address mounting energy needs.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Siemens, NorthgateArinso to Integrate HR Support Services

Siemens IT Solutions and Services extended its agreement with NorthgateArinso – a top provider of HCM and human resources outsourcing, technology, and consulting services – through which they will continue to focus
on offering HR support services. The collaboration will provide access to Siemens IT services and outsourcing, and NorthgateArinso services. Customers can then access a combined portfolio that includes hosting, application management, on-demand, and
business process outsourcing products and services.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

BUSINESS CONTINUITY

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Quake Aftermath Hits Supply Chain, North American Factories

Toyota Motors will slow production at some of its factories in North America due to a shortage of parts from areas of Japan affected by a devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11. The BBC reported that a
majority of the parts used for Toyota’s North American production lines are delivered by suppliers in Japan. According to the report, Toyota is not yet sure how many North American factories would be affected or how long the slowdown would last. Toyota
has already halted production at all of its 12 assembly plants in Japan until March 26. Business Week reported that Honda and Nissan Motor Company are also struggling with parts shortages and rolling electricity
blackouts that are hampering operations.

Source: BBC, 3/24/2011

DigiTimes: Semi Manufacturing Equipment Plants Hit Hard

Digitimes reported that three major Japan-based suppliers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment have suspended operations at several of their plants in the earthquake-ravaged areas of Japan, with no timeframe
for when they will reopen. Nikon, Canon, and TEL reportedly disclosed that the earthquake had a significant impact on their chip-making-equipment units, with assessments still ongoing and reopening dates still uncertain.

Source: DigiTimes, 3/24/2011

NEC Restarts Manufacturing Operations

NEC Corporation announced that its manufacturing facilities affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Northern Japan have re-started manufacturing operations. NEC said it plans tol increase the production volume at
those plants .

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Nokia Expects Some Product Delivery Disruptions Following Quake

Nokia said it still evaluating the business impact on its operations of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The Finland-based company said it expects some disruption in the ability of its Devices &
Services unit to supply a number of products as a result of anticipated shortages of components and raw materials sourced from Japan. The handset make said it does not expect a material impact on its first quarter financial results, however. Nokia said it
will continue to monitor the situation and provide more detailed information during its next financial release, scheduled for April 21.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

NTT Says It Is Gradually Restoring Communications Services in Japan

NTT Communications provided an update to the communications situation in Japan, saying that it is steadily restoring communications services, although some still remain disrupted following the powerful earthquake that
hit the Tohoku region of Japan on Friday, March 11. Some 12,500 lines for IP-VPN and e-VLAN services have been recovered out of the 15,000 that were rendered temporally unavailable in Tohoku. NTT said emergency power generators have been installed in
communication facilities and data centers to prevent disruption of related communication services due to rolling blackouts that are being implemented by Tokyo Electric Power and Tohoku Electric Power. Services are also being steadily restored by other
members of the NTT Group operating in the Tohoku region, including NTT East’s fixed telephone and optical-fiber access services and NTT DOCOMO‘s mobile services. The NTT Group has set up free public phones and mobile
base-station vehicles at evacuation centers and other strategic locations, and is offering phone- and Internet-based systems to help people confirm the safety and whereabouts of others. A major impact on international communication services was avoided by
successfully using other routes to bypass damaged submarine cables connecting Japan with the rest of Asia and the United States. Ships are now at sea working on the damaged cables, which NTT Com said it plans to return to service sometime between April and
early May.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Qualcomm Sees No Impact on Its Supply Chain As a Result of Quake

Wireless technology company Qualcomm said that, based on a review of its extended semiconductor supply chain, it does not foresee any significant impact in its ability to supply products to customers due to the
events in Japan. Qualcomm said it has multiple, geographically diverse sources for supply, as well as production processes “specifically designed to enable us to mitigate disruptions in our supply chain.” The company added: “our thoughts are with the
people of Japan as they cope with the loss and destruction caused by this natural disaster.”

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Sony Operations Impacted by Quake

Electronics giant Sony said operations at several Sony Corporation and Sony Group sites and facilities have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Sony said it is monitoring the status of each
of the affected sites on an on-going basis, while considering the most effective recovery measures.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Toshiba Sets Up Control Center to Manage Quake Response

Japan-based conglomerage Toshiba said in a press releasethat it had established an integrated control center headed by its president and CEO to
determine the extent of damage at its group companies; to support their early recovery; to provide them with direction; and to formulate strategies for resuming operations. Toshiba said damages at its companies was “comparatively moderate,” and that the
control center will now expand the scope of its activities to include support of reconstruction of damaged social infrastructure systems and implementation of programs” to provide relief to the community and people struck by the disaster”

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

UK Proposes to Update Pandemic Preparedness Strategy

The UK’s Department of Health plans to update its cross-government pandemic flu strategy in an effort to encompass what was learned during the 2009 pandemic. The UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Strategy will
include planning for different scenarios according to the nature and scale of such an illness. Consultation for this strategy runs until June 17, and the updated version will be made public later on this year.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

CARRIER SERVICES

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Charter to Open 5 Carrier Interconnect Sites in 2011

Charter launched carrier interconnect capabilities in five locations around the US. The company plans to offer Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) certified carrier Ethernet services at these locations ranging from 10
Mbps to 10 Gbps. The initial two sites are already open in Los Angeles, CA. Sites in Atlanta, GA; St. Louis, MO and Worcester, MA will follow later this year.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

PAETEC Waives Long Distance Fees on Calls to Japan Until April 11

PAETEC has become the latest company to waive all long distance charges for calls to Japan, in light of the recent tragedies there. The company says all calls placed to the nation between the date of the earthquake
on March 11, 2011, and April 11, 2011 will be free of charge. This includes any type of call to any region of Japan, but is limited to non-wholesale customers. PAETEC warns that it will monitor bills for signs of abuse or fraud and will bill users
accordingly.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

CHIP TECHNOLOGY

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Intel Reaffirms Commitment to Itanium Processor

In a press release, chip giant Intel reaffirmed its commitment to the Itanium processor. Saying it was issuing the statement “as a result of recent announcements from Oracle.” Intel said its work on Intel Itanium
processors and platforms “continues unabated with multiple generations of chips currently in development and on schedule.” “We remain firmly committed to delivering a competitive, multi-generational roadmap for HP-UX and other operating system customers
that run the Itanium architecture, Intel said. Earlier this week, Oracle said it was discontinuing software development for the Intel processor because it believed Intel saw the Itanium as “nearing the end of its
life.”

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Oracle Declares Intel Itanium Processor Dead

Oracle announced that it has “decided to discontinue all software development on the Intel Itanium microprocessor.” The software company said that “Intel management made it clear that their strategic focus is on
their x86 microprocessor and that Itanium was nearing the end of its life.” Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini said that was not true, and issued its own press release reaffirming support for the Itanium microprocessor line.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

CLOUD COMPUTING

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Microsoft Introduces System Center 2012

Microsoft introduced System Center 2012, a new private cloud management product. The software is designed to let IT managers build private
clouds using existing infrastructure. Microsoft says that aspects such as the software’s Virtual Machine Manager will let IT staff standardize infrastructure and application services for delegation to business partners. System Center 2012 is currently
available from Microsoft in Beta form.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Microsoft Launches Intune, A Cloud Based Systems Management Tool

Microsoft launched Intune, a new software product designed to help organizations manage secure and update their fleet of PCs. The software provides IT managers with a way to track and control PC updates, view
software and hardware installs, as well as remotely controlling any connected system. The company says the software is geared towards both internal IT professionals, and third party IT providers. Microsoft Intune is available now in 35 countries.
Purchasers of the software will also receive upgrade rights to Windows 7 Enterprise and future versions of Windows. Interested parties can receive a 30-day free trial of the software by joining Microsoft’s Cloud Essentials program.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Unisys Launches Hybrid Enterprise Framework

Unisys launched its Unisys Hybrid Enterprise framework, a methodology and set of services designed to help companies avoid
what Unisys calls “cloud in a corner syndrome.” Specifically, the software is designed to ensure that newly created cloud environments stay connected to a company’s mission-critical systems. Unisys says the new solution is capable of aiding in decision
making across three areas of cloud construction: applications, data centers, and management.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS & EQUIPMENT

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Alcatel to Participate in China Mobile 4G TD-LTE Trial

Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell was selected by China Mobile to participate in a 4G time division – longterm evolution (TD-LTE) trial network deployment in Shanghai,
China, believed to be the world’s largest. Alcatel will deploy its end-to-end LTE technology for the large-scale 4G TD-LTE China Mobile trial. It covers other cities such as Hangzhou, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Xiamen, and was also recently extended
to Beijing. The announcement follows a round of interoperability tests, launched last January.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Ericsson Demonstrates DO Advanced Networking

Ericsson successfully demonstrated new DO Advanced smart networking technology, whereby users can intelligently allocate network resources to better manage data capacity and address uneven wireless data traffic
distribution within an evolution data-optimized (EVDO) network. The techniques being demonstrated require software-only upgrades to existing EVDO network infrastructure. No change is required to the handset.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Ericsson Introduces HSPA Mobile Modules for Handhelds

Ericsson introduced two new highspeed packet access (HSPA) mobile broadband modules for seamlessly connecting handheld gaming devices, media players, personal navigation devices, and tablets that employ highspeed
mobile broadband. These modules – touted as thinner, 40 percent smaller, and 3X faster than previous generations – will be available for the global consumer electronics industry starting in the Fall. Both are based on ST-Ericsson’s Thor M5730 modem, which
works both on WCDMA/HSPA+ and GSM/EDGE networks.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Ericsson Announces Deals to Extend Rural US Connectivity

Ericsson announced a four-year agreement with the NetAmerica Alliance to better extend 4G longterm evolution (LTE) mobile broadband services to users in smaller
markets and rural areas of the US. NetAmerica agreed to build and deploy a shared nationwide LTE network, which will allow independent operators to bring broadband communications services to consumers who ordinarily would not be able to access them.
Ericsson will be the sole supplier for the LTE radio access network and the core network. Ericsson also announced an agreement with United Utilities – a wholly owned subsidiary of telecommunications provider GCI – to bring broadband technology to 65 rural
communities in southwest Alaska. The TERRA-Southwest network will serve more than 9,000 households and 750 businesses throughout the state.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Ericsson Completes Mobile Network Test in Germany

Ericsson completed a mobile network test in which it demonstrated the advantages of a pre-tested, integrated IP infrastructure for mobile operators. This test saw the connection of multiple testing sites,
worldwide, through a common network. To replicate a real world mobile operator scenario, the standards-based test incorporated 2G, 3G and LTE-based radio access, hybrid microwave, fiber based mobile backhaul transport, and third party products. Testing was
primarily conducted at Ericsson’s Global Test Environment Center in Aachen, Germany.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Juniper Introduces TCA Series Timing Appliances

Juniper Networks announced its new TCA Series Timing Appliance portfolio, which that includes servers, timing clients, and SyncEMS management software to provide timing for mobile networks. The TCA Series is based
on technology Juniper acquired from Brilliant Telecommunications, and supports standards based timing capabilities to allow service providers to deploy and monitor time-sensitive applications within an IP network.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Level 3 to Provide Voice and Data Services to TSI

Level 3 announced that it has signed an agreement with TSI, a regional service provider based in Los Angeles. Level 3 will provide TSI with a suite of voice and data services, and enhance its network capabilities.
Under terms of the agreement, Level 3 is providing TSI with voice termination, private line, direct Internet access, IP toll-free, and enterprise voice services. TSI will resell these services to its regional and national customers.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Reuters: Best Buy to Resell LightSquared Network Access

LightSquared, which is building out an LTE-based 4G network that it plans to combine with satellite service for US-wide coverage, announced another wholesale customer, retailer Best Buy. Reuters reported that Best Buy will resell access to the LightSquared network, starting with a trial early next year. The retailer will sell the service under its own Best Buy Connect brand. Earlier this week,
LightSquared announced a deal with Leap Wireless, which will use LightSquared’s network to supplement its own.

Source: Reuters, 3/23/2011

LightSquared Signs Cricket to Long-term LTE Roaming Deal

LightSquared has signed a long-term LTE roaming deal with prepaid carrier Cricket (owned by Leap Wireless), LightSquared’s
first major wireless operator wholesale partner. LightSquared signed a similar deal last week with Open Range Communications, a provider to unserved and underserved areas in the US. The latest agreement will allow Leap Wireless to supplement the LTE
coverage it plans to deploy, with roaming on LightSquared’s network. The companies did not specify when Leap will begin using LightSquared’s network, which is scheduled to launch sometime in the third quarter of this year, but LightSquared said Leap will
start using the company’s network as soon as possible. LightSquared is building out an LTE (Long Term Evolution) network that will be combined with a commercial satellite network to provide coverage for the entire United States.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

NEC to Demonstrate iPASONET Network Management

NEC Corporation of America will demonstrate its new iPASONET Network Management System platform, for traffic aggregation and low latency. The iPASONET system can be tailored to each network application, using
plug-and-play software modules. It also offers advanced traffic management features that can be added through non-service-affecting, pay-as-you-grow software upgrades. It also lets the user transition from SONET/SDH standards to packet-centric technology,
made possible with NEC packet optical transport platform. The NEC division also introduced new iPASOLINK digital microwave radios, for migrating from full time division multiplexing or full packet backhaul without disrupting levels of service.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Nokia Siemens Launches the FlexiPacket Platform

Nokia Siemens Networks launched the FlexiPacket Microwave platform, which includes programmable software for hybrid and full packet traffic mode. It will be embedded in Nokia Siemens’ highspeed packet
access plus to demonstrate flat mobile backhaul in an end-to-end scenario. It is now available in North America.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Nokia Siemens Introduces New “Liquid Radio”

Nokia Siemens Networks announced a new mobile network architecture – dubbed “Liquid Radio” because of a liquid’s ability to fill any available space within a container – for directing mobile broadband
traffic where most needed. Liquid Radio can share and redistribute capacity, based on user demand. The approach centralizes resources needed to undertake processing functions common to every base station in an area. It will begin to deploy this
architecture before year’s end. Nokia Siemens also introduced a Flexi Multiradio Antenna System.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

NTT Communications Working to Restore Full Communications in Japan

NTT Communications said that some of its services have been disrupted by the powerful earthquake that hit the Tohoku and Kanto regions of Japan on March 11. Enterprise IP-VPN and e-VLAN services have been
partially unavailable in the Tohoku region NTT said, and it is “making every effort” to fully restore those services. Submarine cables connecting Japan with the United States and other parts of Asia have been partially damaged, as well, but NTT said it has
been using backup cable routes to maintain uninterrupted service. NTT Com’s data center services have been operating without disruption. Akira Arima, NTT Com’s President and CEO, said “NTT Com is making every effort to rapidly restore communication
services affected by the earthquake.”

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Verizon Expands Availability of Ethernet Services through CENX

Verizon Business said it is expanding the availability of its Ethernet services using CENX (Carrier Ethernet Exchange) to include Los Angeles and Washington, DC. Ethernet
exchanges provide a neutral place for buyers and sellers to peer, connect, and purchase Ethernet services. Verizon said the expansion the expansion, which is scheduled for the second quarter of 2011, will address an increase in customer demand for
Verizon’s Ethernet exchange services, which the company launched in early 2010.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Verizon Wireless Successfully Completes LTE Trial with Ecrio

Verizon Wireless announced the successful completion of technical trials of 4G LTE IP Multimedia Subsystem-powered voice, video, and mobile content sharing services using the Ecrio client framework. Ecrio makes of SIP and IP Multimedia Subsystem-based communication client software solutions for the mobile industry. Verizon Wireless selected Ecrio’s IMS client application framework in 2009, and
the product has since been qualified and embedded in a range of mobile devices in preparation for launch across the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Verizon Wireless to Launch 4G LTE Service in Connecticut

Verizon Wireless announced plans to bring its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network to several markets in Connecticut by the end of the year. Customers in the Fairfield, Hartford, and New Haven areas are
targeted for the deployment. Verizon said 40 other major markets in the US already have access to its 4G LTE service. The company reiterated its plans to offer 4G LTE in more than 145 US metropolitan areas by the end of 2011.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

CONFERENCING

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Cisco TelePresence Room Launched at Sheraton Dallas

Cisco Systems announced that the Sheraton Dallas Hotel in Texas unveiled an in-hotel, high definition TelePresence meeting suite, alongside Tata Communications. Public rooms located within each Starwood hotel are
linked to a wider Tata Communications Telepresence network via its Global Meeting Exchange, which allows meetings to take place between any private or public room on its network, as well as rooms on the networks of Tata Intercarrier-Exchange partners and
the National Lambda Rail network. The room compliments other Starwood property Telepresence rooms in 15 locations worldwide.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Motorola, Polycom Collaborating on XOOM Telepresence

Motorola Mobility and Polycom announced they are collaborating on bringing Polycom’s high-definition, enterprise class telepresence solution to the Motorola XOOM tablet
device. The companies said they expect Polycom telepresence for Motorola will be available in the second half of this year.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

CONSULTING & MANAGED SERVICES

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Capgemini Signs Agreement with BAA for Heathrow IT

Capgemini signed an outsourcing agreement with BAA, owners of the UK’s Heathrow Airport. The deal will see Capgemini UK leading a consortium which will handle the airport’s core IT services on a day-to-day basis.
This includes managing applications, infrastructure, and projects for approximately 10,000 users. The agreement has a duration of 5 years, and is valued at approximately GBP 100 million.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

HP Announces New Prepaid Card Services

HP Enterprise Services announced new services to provide banking clients with self-service and payment delivery for pre-funded cards. HP’s Prepaid Card Services provide clients with modules for across the payment
lifecycle, for Web-based services such as inventory management and self-service customer portals. The services are an extension of HP’s Cards and Payments Services portfolio, which also supports debit and credit options.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORKS

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Adobe Launches Adobe Pass Pay TV Verification Service

Adobe announced its new Adobe Pass service, a video authentication solution for pay TV operators. Using Flash and HTML5, Adobe Pass lets providers deliver secured content over Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS,
Blackberry, and Google TV platforms. The product is being marketed among cable and television providers as the TV Everywhere platform. Adobe says the technology eliminates the need for a lengthy validation process, which would deter many consumers from
using a similar service. More information about this service can be found at the Adobe Pass product page.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Level 3, INTERNEXA Partner to Expand CDN Services

Level 3 announced an agreement with INTERNEXA, a telecom carrier with more than 18,000 kilometers of fiber-optic network coverage across seven countries in South America, to
expand Level 3’s content delivery network services to Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Peru. Level 3 said the agreement enables both companies to provide greatly-improved International IP content services to their respective customers.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

DATA BREACHES

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TripAdvisor Email List Stolen

User review Web site TripAdvisor has been forced to notify members of a major security breach after a “portion” of its 20 million-strong email list was stolen. The company has posted a message outlining details of the incident and saying that compromised accounts “may receive some unsolicited emails (SPAM). The company added: “No passwords were taken, and any and all
password information is secure. TripAdvisor does not collect members’ credit card or financial information, and we never sell or rent our member list. “

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

US School Districts Battered by Data Breaches, Says New Survey

A new survey from Panda Security found that 63% of kindergarten-12 (K-12) school
districts in the US experience at least two data breaches annually. The study, which surveyed over 100 individuals who manage IT security for K-12 districts, also discovered that 64% of schools have experienced significant downtime related to malware
attacks, and 72% identified budget constraints as the main barrier to advancing the technology. Additionally, 38% of the schools studied reported that a lack of staff hindered technological initiatives.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

ENTERPRISE APPLICATION SOFTWARE

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Cisco Announces OfficeExtend for Teleworkers

Cisco announced OfficeExtend, which includes new access points and a full line of wireless controllers with dual-band 802.11n access points specifically designed for teleworkers. Cisco said OfficeExtend is designed to
extend the corporate wireless network from the office to the home teleworker, incorporating existing control, management, and security infrastructure.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

CSC Releases Windows Compatible POINT IN Insurance Software

CSC released the Java version of its POINT IN insurance software. The new version includes enhanced configuration tools for North American-based property and casualty (P&C) insurers, as well as support for Microsoft Windows with a SQL Server database. The software was previously limited to IBM and Oracle/Sun Microsystems platforms. More information about this latest release is available from the POINT IN product page.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

SAP Releases New Governance, Risk, and Compliance Software

SAP released the latest version of its governance, risk and compliance (GRC) software. SAP lists improvements in
this release as a newly unified user interface, ease of use enhancements, policy lifecycle management capabilities, and increased operational efficiencies. The latest version SAP’s GRC software is available now.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Zoho Releases Zoho Office Plug-In for SharePoint 2010

Zoho released its Zoho Office plug-in for SharePoint 2010. The new software allows users to view and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations stored on SharePoint servers from within the Zoho Office suite. This
includes collaborative editing, and realtime chat. Interested SharePoint 2010 administrators can download the Zoho Office Plug-in at the company’s site.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

FINANCIAL

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Adobe Announces Record $1.02 Billion Revenue for Q1 2011

Adobe released its financial results for the first quarter of the 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue totaled a record setting $1.02 billion, up steeply from the $858 million reported in 2009. Net income also saw
a significant jump, nearly doubling from $127 million in 2009, to $234 million this year. Earnings per share followed suit, coming in at $0.46, up from $0.24 in 2009. The company lowered its revenue prediction by $50 million for the second quarter due to
events in Japan, which is its second largest market. Adobe now expects a Q2 revenue of between $970 million and $1.02 billion, and Q2 earnings per share between $0.33 and $0.40.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Intel Board Declares Quarterly Dividend

Intel Corporation‘s board of directors has declared an 18.12 cents per share quarterly dividend on the company’s common stock. The dividend will be payable on June 1, 2011 to stockholders of record on May 7, 2011.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

PCCW Reports Lower Revenues, Higher Profits for 2010

PCCW reported its results for the 2010 fiscal year. Revenues for 2010 dropped to $2.9 billion, down from $3.2 billion in 2009. However, net income rose to $247 million, up from $193 million in 2009. This resulted in
earnings per share of HK$27.75, up from HK$ 22.24 in the previous year. On these results the company declared a final dividend for the year of 10.2 HK cents per share.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Raytheon Approves $1.72 Annual Dividend, $0.43 Quarterly

Raytheon approved an annual dividend of $1.72 per share. This is a 17% increase over last year’s $1.50, and the seventh consecutive year the company has increased its dividend. Raytheon’s Board of Directors also
approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.43 per share of its common stock. This amount will be payable on April 28, 2011 to all shareholders of record by the close of business on April 6, 2011.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

SAIC Shows Growth in Q4, FY 2010

SAIC posted its financial results for the quarter and year ending January 31, 2011. For the quarter, the company’s revenue totaled $2.77 billion, up from $2.68 billion in the same quarter of the prior year. Net income
for the period was $132 million, up from $123 million in Q4 2010. This translated to earnings per share of $0.36, up from $0.31, year-over-year. For the year, SAIC took in $11.1 billion, up from the $10.8 billion reported for 2010. Net income was $618
million, or $1.51 per share, a significant rise from the $497 million, or $1.26 per share, for the prior year. On these results the company posted an outlook for 2012 including revenues of $11.0 billion to $11.5 billion, and earnings per share of $1.35 to
$1.46. The outlook includes the impact of potential future acquisitions.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

SAP Shows Strong Growth in 2010, Predicts More Success for 2011

SAP releases its financial statement for the year ending December 31, 2010. The company’s year-end revenue was EUR 12.4 billion, up from 2009’s EUR 10.6 billion. Net profits came in at EUR 2.4 billion, also up from the
EUR 1.8 billion reported for the prior year. This resulted in earnings per share of EUR 2.02, a significant increase over 2009’s EUR 1.52. On these results SAP posted guidance for its 2011 fiscal year, including a projected revenue increase of between 10%
and 14%, and an operating profit of EUR 4.45 billion to EUR 4.65 billion.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

SAP’s Board Recommend Dividend of EUR 0.60

The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of SAP recommended that shareholders approve an increased dividend of EUR 0.60 at company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. This would represent a 20% increase over
last year’s dividend of EUR 0.50, and would result in a EUR 713 million distribution. The meeting will be held on May 25, 2011 in Mannheim, Germany.

Source: Vendor, 3/18/2011

Swisscom De-Lists Fastweb Following Acquisition

Swisscom announced the official de-listing of all shares of the recently acquired Fastweb from the Borsa Italiana stock exchange. The total purchase price for the company amounted to EUR 256.4 million as of when
Swisscom met it’s obligatory 95% stock ownership required to de-list the acquired company.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

ZTE Posts Record-Setting Financials for 2010

ZTE releases its financial results for the 2010 fiscal year. The company took in a record setting revenue of RMB 70.264 billion, a 21% increase over last year. Net income was RMB 3.250 billion, a 32.2% increase over
2009. This resulted in earnings per share of RMB 1.17. On these results, the company’s Board of Directors approved a dividend of RMB 3 per 10 shares of the company’s stock.

Source: Vendor, 3/18/2011

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS

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ASIS Lands Government Contract to Develop Accountability Standard

ASIS International has been awarded a contract with the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop an ANSI standard for a quality assurance management system. The standard will
enable private sector security service providers to offer quality assurance in the provision of their products and services while adhering to best practices in areas where rules have been undermined following a disaster or conflict.

Source: ASIS, 3/16/2011

HP to Upgrade, Manage Medicaid Info System in Nevada

HP Enterprise Services reached a five year, $176 million USD services agreement to upgrade and manage the Medicaid Management Information System for the Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy. HP
will process medical and pharmacy claims, review authorization requests, provide review services for personal care, and assist the program in connecting healthcare providers with critical health information. The agency is responsible for Medicaid benefits
for almost 300,000 Nevada residents. It processes 12 million Medicaid claims per year.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Northrop Grumman Receives $1.1 Billion Task Order for HomeSec IT

Northrop Grumman received a follow-on task order from the US General Services Administration to operate, maintain, and enhance the classified networks of the US Department of Homeland Security. The so called
Enterprise Networked Services Support (ENSS) task order will include 1,100 locations across the country and will call on Northrop Grumman to develop, deploy, and operate an IT infrastructure for classified data, voice, and video services. The project is
expected to include more than 15,000 fixed and mobile users in total. The agreement has a one-year base period, six annual options, and a total value of more than $1.1 billion if all options are exercised.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

SAIC Receives A/V Equipment Contract from US NAVY SSC Atlantic

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) received a prime contract from the US Navy, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC) Atlantic to provide audio visual equipment. Under the terms of the
contract, SAIC will provide off-the-shelf audiovisual products, related equipment, and accessories, as well as installation and maintenance services. The agreement has a one-year base period, four one-year options, and a total ceiling value of $500
million.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Kentucky Selects Sprint to Provide Relay Services for Deaf Community

Sprint has won a contract with the Commonwealth of Kentucky to provide the state with relay services for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. Sprint will provide its full suite of relay products. Kentucky Relay allows
hearing callers, text-telephone (TTY), CapTel, and Speech to Speech (STS) users to communicate with one another through trained Relay Operators, particularly when the hearing party does not have specialized telecommunications equipment. The service is
available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are no restrictions on the number or length of calls, and the service is confidential – records of conversations are not maintained.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS

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Cisco Completes Medical-Grade Network for Sault Area Hospital

Cisco Canada announced it completed work on the Sault Area Hospital digital healthcare facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, CA, which will run on a Cisco Medical-Grade network to providing services
across one IP network. This network supports data, voice, and video, and integrating business and clinical communications between patients, administrators, and partners. It can run bandwidth-intensive, multimedia-rich applications to allow healthcare
providers to better access information.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

INDUSTRY GROUPS

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Boeing Forms Sustainable Biomass Consortium with EPFL

Boeing joined with the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) to form the Sustainable Biomass Consortium. The goal of the initiative is to increase the collaboration between environmental organizations,
governments, and civil society groups in an effort to align regional and regulatory requirements. The Consortium also hopes to lower overall sustainability certification costs.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Juniper to Participate in the Eclipse Foundation

Juniper Networks reported it will participate in the Eclipse Foundation, an open source community focused on building an open development platform and cultivating an ecosystem
of complementary products and services. The move should extend additional open source capabilities to Juniper’s ecosystem of software developers building applications on Junos software products. Eclipse developers can create and introduce new applications
using the Junos and Junos Space Software Development Kits. Eclipse has more than an million members.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

INTERNET

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ICANN Approves .XXX Domain Suffix

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) approved the controversial .xxx domain suffix at its latest meeting. The regulatory body’s approval clears the way for the suffix’s usage by Web sites with adult or pornographic content. The campaign to create such a domain started more than a decade ago, but has been hotly
contested, and frequently delayed, until this approval. ICANN’s Board has now essentially stated that the new domain does not violate any of its bylaws, and that it has not been presented with any objections during the obligatory public comment period that
caused it to reconsider its approval. Reactions in the press have ranged from endorsement of a clearly separated adult segment of the Internet, to concerns over discrimination and attacks on sites that choose to use the .xxx suffix.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Microsoft Launches Revamped Bing Mobile Site with HTML5

Microsoft launched Bing for Mobile Browse, a new mobile site designed to offer an improved experience for mobile phone users. Updates include faster image searches, real-time
transit and directions, app search for the iPhone, and more. The site uses HTML5, which is currently supported by the iPhone and Android operating systems. Windows Phone 7 devices are expected to get HTML5 support via an update later this year.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Mozilla Releases Completed Edition of Firefox 4

Mozilla released the finished version of Firefox 4 to the public. The update browser includes a redesigned user interface, improvements to its JavaScript engine, App Tabs, and Panorama. The newest edition also
includes new security features such as a Do Not Track option, and Content Security Policy controls. Firefox 4 is available for download from Mozilla’s Web site.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Verisign Joins IPv6 Day

Verisign is the latest company to join World IPv6 Day. The event is a collaborative trial of the incoming IPv6 technology expected to be held on June 8, 2011. The
event’s organizer, The Internet Society, hopes to test the readiness of the Internet’s global infrastructure for the rapidly approaching switch to the new address protocol. Verisign already supports IPv6 traffic on its
DNS servers, but it also accepting IPv6 calls on its corporate Web site for the duration of the event.

Source: Network World, 3/18/2011

LAPTOPS & TABLETS

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Acer Introduces New Gateway NV Laptops

Acer International unveiled new Gateway NV series laptops featuring AMD processing and Vision technology, for improving mobile computing performance. The laptops cost $399.99-$468.99 USD, and
feature a full-sized keyboard and 15-inch high-definition widescreen display,

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Apple iPad 2 Makes Debut in 25 Countries

Apple announced that the new iPad 2 – already available in the US – is now available through retail stores and Apple authorized resellers in 25 additional countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. It will also begin selling iPad 2 in other
countries – Hong Kong, Korea, and Singapore – in April.

Source: Vendor, 3/25/2011

Dell Introduces Vostro Laptops with 12-Hour Battery

Dell unveiled its new Vostro 3000 series of 13-17 inch laptops, which have an optional 12-hour battery life on select models as well as SRS Premium Voice Pro collaboration software and a high definition Webcam.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Motorola to Begin Sales of XOOM Wi-Fi in Canada

Motorola Mobility Canada reported that its XOOM WiFi edition will be available throughout the country, starting in April. The XOOM WiFi edition is a 10-inch widescreen HD tablet featuring Android 3.0
(Honeycomb). Motorola also announced that XOOM 3G will be available in Canada mid-year.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

RIM’s PlayBook Tablet Priced at $499

Research in Motion announced its PlayBook tablet will go on sale April 19, starting at $499 – the same price as its main rival, the Apple iPad. The Blackberry PlayBook will be sold through several retailers and
carriers, including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. Retailer Best Buy is accepting pre-orders for the tablet device now. The 16 gigabyte PlayBook will cost $499, a 32GB version is $599, and the 64GB model is $699. The PlayBook has a 7-inch screen and is built
on a new platform from QNX Software Systems. It supports Flash video, and has front and rear high-definition cameras. The PlayBook runs on a 1 GHz dual-core processor and includes 1 GB of RAM. Each model of the PlayBook is Wi-Fi enabled but cannot connect
to 3G mobile networks without tethering to a BlackBerry phone. RIM said the tablet will be available in more than 20,000 retail outlets in the US and Canada.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Samsung Unveils Upcoming Galaxy Tab Models

Samsung Electronics announced new models of its Galaxy Tab, including a new 8.9-inch version with high-definition display and HSPA+ radios, and 10-inch version with 4G radio. The new models range in price from
$469.99-$599.99, and will be available June 8th in the US.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Telus to Carry Motorola XOOM Tablet

Telus announced plans to carry the Motorola XOOM tablet. The device features a 10.1 inch display with a 1280×800 resolution, HDMI connectivity, a 5MP rear facing camera, a 2MP front facing camera, dual core processor,
1GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. All of this is running on Google’s first Tablet specific mobile operating system, Android 3.0, “Honeycomb.” Telus says pricing will begin at $599.99, depending on the accompanying plan.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

ZTE to Launch 10-Inch “Light” Tablet in UK

ZTE revealed that its 10-inch Tablet, titled simply “Light,” will soon reach the UK with Android 3.0, “Honeycomb” on board. This is a separate product from the company’s existing 7-inch Light tablet. The 10-inch
model includes a 1280×800 display, and a 1.2GHz processor chip.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

LEGAL

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Apple Sues Amazon over “App Store” Name of its New Android App Site

Apple is suing online retailer Amazon over its use of the title “App Store” for its new Android application retail site. Apple’s suit claims that “Consumers of mobile software
downloads are likely to be confused as to whether Amazon’s mobile software download service is sponsored or approved by Apple.” This is another move in Apple’s continued efforts to win a trademark for the term “App Store” in the US. Microsoft has filed a motion asking officials to block the trademark attempt, saying the controversial terms is materially no different from “shoe store” or “toy store.

Source: BBC, 3/22/2011

Google Books Settlement Rejected By Federal Judge

US federal judge Denny Chin has rejected Google‘s proposed settlement in the long-simmering Google Books case. In the 48-page decision, the judge said the $125 million agreement would give Google the ability to
“exploit” books without the permission of copyright owners. The judge went on to say that, although the massive digitized library could benefit many, the plan Google has put forth allows it an unfair advantage by copying copyrighted works without
permission. Antitrust concerns were also noted in the decision. The proposal was denied “without prejudice,” which allows the participating parties to refile a revised plan. The judge suggested an “opt out” option should be included in the revised
settlement for any authors included in the proposal. For its part, Google said it was “disappointed” with the decision, and intends to continue to pursue an equitable method of settling the dispute between itself and the complaining parties. The Open Book Alliance – a group opposing the settlement that includes Yahoo, Microsoft, Amazon and the National Writers Union – called the decision "a victory for the public interest and for competition in
the literary and Internet ecosystems." Judge Chin will preside over a "status conference" regarding the case on April 25.

Source: WSJ, 3/24/2011

IBM Settles Asia Bribery Case with SEC for $10 Million

IBM has settled its bribery case with the US Security and Exchanges Commission (SEC), The Wall Street Journal reports. The SEC accused IBM of a campaign of bribery in Asia lasting more
than a decade, and including more than 100 employees. Specific incident include paying off South Korean government officials, holding illicit meetings, and offering cash for accepting the company’s bid for equipment sales. Further, the SEC claims the
company was involved in a travel fraud scam in China which attempted to give free vacations to Chinese government officials. The final settlement amounted to $10 million, a payment which IBM called “appropriate remedial action,” while refraining from
admitting any wrongdoing. The Journal posits that the small settlement indicates that the bribes, although numerous, were of relatively small amounts.

Source: WSJ, 3/19/2011

Microsoft Sues Barnes & Noble, Foxconn, Inventec Over Android on Nook

Microsoft filed suit with the International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington against Barnes & Noble and the companies involved in manufacturing its Android-based
e-reader, the Nook. The other two affected companies are Foxconn International Holdings and Inventec Corporation. Microsoft is saying that the device’s use of Android causes it to infringe on the same patents that resulted in a case against phone
manufacturer HTC. This includes interface aspects such as “natural ways of interacting with devices by tabbing through various screens to find the information [users] need; surfing the Web more quickly, and interacting
with documents and e-books.” Microsoft says it has spent the past year attempting to reach a patent licensing agreement with Barnes & Noble and its manufacturers, but was forced to take legal action when no resolution was met.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

TeliaSonera Sues to Have Turkcell Chairman Removed

TeliaSonera announced plans to take legal action against the Chairman of Turkcell, Colin J. Williams. The company says that Williams has continually blocked its attempts to increase the number of Turkcell
independent board members to meet with the requirements of the Turkish Capital Markets Board and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. It says this violates its rights as a minority shareholder of Turkcell. Furthermore, the company says its recent
attempt to bring the matter to vote at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting has been illegally blocked by a minority portion of the Turkcell board, including Williams. TeliaSonera is seeking to have Williams removed from his position.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

M2M

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T-Mobile USA to Release Multi-Mode International SIM by Year’s End

T-Mobile USA, in collaboration with Everything Everywhere Limited and Giesecke & Devrient, announced the ongoing
development of the industry’s first embedded multi-mode international mobile subscriber identity module (SIM). The SIM is designed for cost-effective, international machine-to-machine (M2M) deployments, and will act as a local SIM when deployed in the US
and the UK. T-Mobile USA said this “borderless” solution will offer M2M application providers the ability to deploy multiple global subscriptions in areas outside of local networks. The embedded multi-mode SIM is expected to be available before the end of
the year. Based in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile USA. is the US wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom. AT&T announced earlier this week that it plans plan to acquire T-Mobile USA for $39 billion.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

AT&T Announces Deals with 3 Mobile Monitoring Companies

AT&T announced agreements with three companies that provide remote monitoring solutions: E3 Greentech, EmFinders, and BlueLibras. The carrier will provide wireless transport for the applications. E3’s Intelligent Bridge is located in homes and helps homeowners and property managers optimize energy use. EmFinder’s EmSeeQ is a
single-purpose wireless device that, on activation, dials 911 and reports its location directly to emergency responders. It is designed to help locate missing children and adults. BlueLibris also makes a mobile health and safety monitoring device. The
small wearable device allows real-time communication with an adult or child wearing the device through a call-center. BlueLibris plans to add, subject to any required regulatory approval, near real-time monitoring of patient physical activity and physical
information collected from other peripheral devices. The BlueLibris device and platform will be designed to offer HMOs, vendors, hospitals, care organizations, fitness and medical device manufacturers, and service companies the ability to rapidly deploy
mobile monitoring services for their customers.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Sprint Expands M2M Offerings, Partnerships

Sprint announced expanded M2M (machine-to-machine) solutions provided by 14 partners. The carrier said these partner offerings bring additional capabilities to Sprint’s M2M portfolio, including to the connected
transportation, fixed and portable solutions, SmartGrid and utilities, and health care sectors. Full descriptions of Sprint’s M2M partnerships and new offerings are provided in its press release.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Verizon Wireless, Axeda Partner for Global M2M Deployments

Verizon Wireless and Axeda announced an alliance they said will help speed the deployment of global M2M (machine-to-machine) solutions. The partnership will combine
Verizon Wireless’ network with Axeda’s cloud application development platform, providing a unified and scalable global M2M infrastructure, Verizon Wireless said. The two companies will host a live demonstration of a custom fleet management solution this
week at CTIA industry trade show. The Axeda Platform will monitor two vehicles – one in the UK and one in the United States – with data flowing across both the Verizon Wireless and Vodafone networks. The cars will be
equipped with CalAmp LMU fleet tracking units and provisioned through the nPhase service management platform.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

MALWARE WATCH

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Microsoft Spots Trojan, Fake System Defrag Software

Microsoft, which has been tracking a fake system defragmenter software program that has been lurking in the wild since October, has discovered a new Trojan associated with it. The new variant of FakeSysdef uses
aggressive scareware tactics and renders the system useless until the victim pays for a license to fix the bogus errors.

Source: Vendor, 3/19/2011

SSL Certificates Come Under Attack

Comodo, a Web security certification authority, issued nine SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) authentication certificates to hackers posing as Comodo partners last week, before realizing its mistake and revoking them. The
certificates, which could be used for various types of attacks against Web browsers, were issued for popular Web sites that belong to Mozilla, Yahoo, Google, Microsoft, and Skype. Microsoft issued a security advisory regarding the fraudulent certificates. Mozilla updated Firefox 4.0, 3.6, and 3.5, and issued a blog post to help mitigate risks. Comodo’s CEO and founder Melih Abdulhayoglu said in a blog post that one of
the attacks appears to have originated in Iran.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Opera Releases Mini 6, Mobile 11 Browsers

Opera released Opera Mini 6 and Opera Mobile 11. Updates to the mobile browser software include smoother scrolling and zooming, pinch-to-zoom functionality, a social media sharing button, and optimization for tablet
devices. Opera Mini 6 is available for devices running J2ME, Android, BlackBerry, and Symbian/S60; while Opera Mobile 11 is available for Android, Symbian, Windows 7 desktop, MeeGo, and Maemo.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Elizabeth Taylor’s Death Fodder for Spammers

Spammers wasted no time in using the death of movie icon Elizabeth Taylor as a vector for malware. Sophos identified a scam on Twitter and warned users to be vigilant.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

SCADA Systems at Risk of Compromise, Fed Issues Advisories

The US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) released four critical security advisories regarding the public release of exploits that target supervisory
control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. SCADA software is used to monitor and control sensors and operations within industrial plants. The move comes after an Italian researcher, Luigi Auriemma, released software that targeted weaknesses in various
SCADA systems, including systems from Siemens, and then posted information about his attacks to a security email list. Auriemma said he attacked the systems in an attempt to teach vendors of the vulnerabilities
contained within their products.

Source: CNET, 3/22/2011

MEDIA

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New York Times’ New Pay Wall Not Holding Many Back

The New York Times paywall is already under assault by Internet users, the LA Times reports, as well as its own less-than-spectacular programming. The paid model would
limit users to 20 articles per month, and users wanting to view additional content would be required to pay a subscription fee ranging from $15 to $35 per month. This has led to several methods of circumventing the paywall, the most well
known of which uses the Times’ own decision to exempt visitors reaching its site via a Twitter link from the 20-article limit. The @FreeNYTimes Twitter feed posts every single
Times article as it is put online, allowing users to essentially ignore the paywall. The Times has asked Twitter to take down the account, saying that it is “in violation of [its] trademark.” Despite this, the account remained available at the time of
this writing. Twitter is not the publisher’s only concern, however.  A bookmarklet titled NYTClean has been making it way around the Web, as well. It effectively removes the paywall when clicked while on a "blocked" NY Times page.
The Times says it is monitoring the situation, but currently does not intend to alter any of the underlying code designed to impose the paywall.

Source: LATimes,Forbes, 3/24/2011

MOBILE APPS

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Amazon Launches Its Android App Store

Amazon launched its own App Store. The Amazon App store will sell a variety of Android apps and games. It includes a feature
called “Test Drive,” which allows users to test Android apps on a simulated phone while visiting the store on their desktop browsers. Other features of the store include personalized recommendations, customer reviews, and 1-Click payment options, as well
as a daily special free app.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Mozilla Posts Firefox 4 Release Candidate for Maemo and Android

Mozilla posted a release candidate of Firefox 4 for Maemo and Android devices. Available in more than 10 languages, the new release includes faster scrolling, improved responsiveness, and desktop features such as
Firefox Sync, Awesome Screen, tabbed browsing, and add-ons. The new version of Firefox 4 mobile is available from Mozilla’s Web site, or from the Android Marketplace.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

Skype Announces New Qik Video Connect App for iOS

Skype‘s recently acquired company, Qik, released a new app for the iPhone entitled Qik Video Connect. The new application supports live video streaming, video calling, video messaging, and video sharing. The
application is available in two versions: the free Qik Video Connect, and Qik Video Connect Plus, which costs $2.99. The paid version of the app adds features such as video editing, live video effect filters, and high-definition quality uploads. Both
versions are available from the Apple App Store and are compatible with iPhone and 4th generation iPod Touch models with iOS 4 or later.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Sprint to Integrate Google Voice Features

Sprint and Google debuted a new, integrated Google Voice “experience” that will allow Sprint customers to set their existing Sprint wireless phone number as their Google Voice
number. Sprint customers will be able to use Google Voice “without the hassle and fees associated with porting their number,” Sprint said. Sprint is currently the only US carrier to offer the capability, which will be available “soon” on all Sprint CDMA
phones. In addition, the new Nexus S 4G smartphone – announced by Sprint, Google, and Samsung – will come preloaded with the Google Voice Android app.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

MOBILE PLATFORMS

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comScore Shows Strong Year-Over-Year Growth in Mobile Finance Users

comScore is reporting massive growth in users of mobile finance accounts over the past year. The measurement company found that more than 29.8 million users accessed a mobile finance site or application during the
fourth quarter of 2010. That marks a 54% increase over the 19.3 million users recorded for the same period in 2009. The largest growth in usage came from the users accessing services via apps. That group grew to 10.8 million, a year-over-year increase of
120%. This spike in users cemented mobile access’ position as the second most popular method of viewing online finance information, with 36% preferring it over all other methods.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Microsoft Releases First Update for Windows Phone 7 OS

Microsoft released its first major update for the Windows Phone 7 Series mobile operating system. The update includes new features such as copy & paste, faster app and game load times, a streamlined marketplace
search, Wi-Fi improvements, and various other performance enhancements. Eligible devices should automatically receive a notice of the update’s availability. Microsoft has set up a how-to page to educate users on updating their devices.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

ZTE to Support Windows Phone 7 in 2012

ZTE revealed plans to develop products for the Windows Phone 7 platform. The company says that it plans to release the first of these device some time in 2012, unless market demand for the mobile operating system
rises to the point where it feels an earlier release is warranted. The company also revealed its intention to three additional platforms, one of which will be MeeGo.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

OPERATING SYSTEMS

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Debian Updates to Version 6.0.1 with Minor Fixes

Debian released the first update for its Debian 6.0 “Squeeze” operating system. Debian 6.0.1 includes numerous corrections for security problems, as well as adjustments for a few serious issues. The Debian Project
considers this a minor update, and recommends that users update via an up-to-date Debian mirror. A full changelog for Debian 6.0.1 can be found within its release announcement.

Source: Vendor, 3/19/2011

PERIPHERALS

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LG Unveils Wireless Charging Pad for Handheld Devices

LG unveiled the LG Wireless Charging Pad, a new inductive charging station for the company’s mobile devices. The technology uses inductive coils built into the battery doors of the company’s phones to charge the device
wirelessly. Features of the product include tactile and audio feedback when a phone is placed on it, LED indicators lights for displaying the device’s charge level, and a 7mm effective range. No release date or pricing information has been announced
yet.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATION

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Agilent Upgrades Life Sciences Presence in Bangalore

Agilent Technologies expanded its Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis Center of Excellence in Bangalore, India. It also opened a Life Sciences application development lab in an adjacent facility, to focus on
researching life science analysis workflows. Agilent’s Bangalore facility originally opened in 2006.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Apple Names New Executive for Mac Software Engineering

Apple announced that Bertrand Serlet – SVP of Mac Software Engineering – is leaving the company and will be replaced by group VP Craig Federighi. As VP, Federighi is responsible for the development of Mac OS X, and
has managed the Mac OS software engineering group for two years.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

Boeing Names Marc Allen as President, Boeing China

Boeing named Marc Allen as the new president of Boeing China. Allen will be based in Beijing, and will report to Shep Hill, president, Boeing International. He will be replacing David Wang, who is retiring after more
than 10 years with the company. Prior to this appointment, Allen served as vice president Global Law Affairs and general counsel to Boeing International.

Source: Vendor, 3/17/2011

Joe Waz Retiring from Comcast

Comcast announced that Joe Waz, Senior Vice President External Affairs and Public Policy Counsel, will retire from the company on April 30 after 17 years there. He will establish a part-time consulting practice and
serve as the first chairman of the Broadband Internet Technology Advisory Group, an organization formed last year with a charter of building consensus on technical issues and challenges in the Internet ecosystem.

Source: Vendor, 3/24/2011

Intel’s Ultra Mobility Group Manager Resigns

Anand Chandrasekher, who had been senior vice president and general manager of Intel‘s Ultra Mobility Group, announced that he will be leaving Intel to “pursue other interests.” Effective immediately, Mike Bell and
Dave Whalen, both vice presidents of Intel Architecture Group, will co-manage the group, which is responsible for building Atom chips that go into smartphones and tablets.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

PUBLIC SAFETY

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Air Traffic Control Tower Goes Silent; FAA Investigating

The New York Times reported that two passenger airliners landed at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC without clearance or guidance from the airport’s control tower. Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the
Federal Aviation Administration, said the agency was looking into “staffing issues and whether existing procedures were followed appropriately.” Ray LaHood, US transportation secretary, said he had instructed the Federal
Aviation Administration to study staffing levels at other airports, and to put two air traffic controllers on duty during the midnight shift at Reagan National. The incident reportedly occurred around midnight March 23rd. The controller on duty at the
airport has been suspended during the investigation of the incident.

Source: NYTimes 3/24/2011

US Navy Continues Relief Efforts in Japan

The US Navy’s 7th Fleet has 13,000 military personnel taking part in its Operation Tomodachi (friendship), bringing in hundreds of tons of relief items to devasted areas of Japan. Stars and Stripes reported that service members aboard the 20 ships participating in the relief effort are continuing to load pallets with food, clothing, fuel, and other supplies for helicopters flying relief missions to
coastal northeastern Japan. In all, 140 US aircraft are taking part.

Source: Stars&Stripes, 3/24/2011

Death Toll in Japan Continues to Climb after Earthquake, Tsunami

The Japanese National Police Agency updated its earthquake and tsunami casualty list, saying 9,700 people had been confirmed dead as
of March 24th as a result of the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Northeastern Japan. The agency also said 16,501 people are reported as missing by family members. That number is expected to to rise because, the agency noted, there are many
cases where entire families have been swept away by the tsunami. The number of damaged homes and buildings is 134,858, the agency’s report said, and 26,646 people have been rescued from rubble and wrecked homes. More than 257,000 people remain homeless,
taking shelter at more than 1,900 private and public facilities, such as school gymnasiums and sports arenas.

Source: NPA, 3/24/2011

FDA Detaining, Testing Food Items from Japan

In the wake of Japan’s ongoing nuclear emergency, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Import Alert 99-33, saying all milk, milk
products, vegetables,and fruits produced or manufactured from the four Japanese prefectures of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi ,and Gunma will be detained upon entry into the United States. They will not be allowed to enter the US food supply, unless shown to
be free from radionuclide contamination, with the exception of the specific products restricted by the Government of Japan (spinach and kakina from the four prefectures, and milk from Fukushima only). Those products will be refused admission into the US.
Other food products from this area, including seafood, will be diverted for testing by FDA before they can enter the food supply. The FDA also said it will be monitoring and testing food products, including seafood, from other areas of Japan “as
appropriate.” The FDA added that, because of the heavy damage caused to Japan by the earthquake and tsunami, “little or no products” are currently being exported from the affected areas. Under normal conditions, food from Japan represents less than 4% of
US food imports.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

REGULATORY & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

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E-Verify Self Check Program Makes Its Debut

The E-Verify Self Check program has been launched by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). The program enables workers to submit
corrections of inaccuracies in their DHS or SSA records before applying for jobs. E-Verify Self Check is administered by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Source: DHS, 3/21/2011

Report: Trapped Pipe Blocked Blowout Preventer on Deepwater Horizon

A trapped piece of pipe likely stopped the blowout preventer from working correctly on the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform. The September 2009 explosion on the platform killed 11 workers and caused the worst offshore oil spill in US history. Federal
officials from the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), released the two-volume forensic report prepared by Det Norske
Veritas. The report concluded that off-centered drill pipe prevented the blind shear rams from fully
closing and sealing the wellbore. While releasing the report, BOEMRE announced a seventh session of public hearings starting Apr. 4 in New Orleans. The hearings will focus specifically on the forensic examination, which is just one aspect of an
investigation into the accident and subsequent oil spill. The full investigation report is not expected to be released until sometime this Summer, BOEMRE said.

Source: BOEMRE, 3/23/2011

FCC Rechartering Communications Security Council

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it is rechartering CSRIC (Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council), and is seeking nominations and expressions of interest for
membership on the council. CSRIC is a Federal Advisory Committee that provides guidance recommendations to the FCC for improving the security, reliability, and interoperability of the US’ communications systems. Nominations and expressions of interest for
membership must be submitted to the FCC no later than April 22, 2011.

Source: FCC, 3/24/2011

FCC Releases Latest Internet, Local Telephone Competition Reports

The Federal Communications Commission has released its latest reports on Internet access service connections and telephone subscribership in the US. Titled Internet Access Services and Local Telephone Competition, the two reports are based on data
submitted by carriers every six months and include data collected by the FCC through June 30, 2010. Among the highlights found in the two reports: 60% of connections were slower than the benchmark 4 megabits per second download speed identified by the FCC
as the minimum bandwidth generally required to accommodate today’s high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video requirements; interconnected VoIP grew by 21% between June 2009 and June 2010; conventional switched access lines (i.e., traditional wireline
telephone lines) decreased by 8% between June 2009 and June 2010.

Source: Vendor, 3/22/2011

GAO Recommends Metrics for Measuring Food Saftety Oversight

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed the steps that the Food Safety Working Group (FSWG), which includes officials from the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has taken to collaborate with
federal agencies in ensuring that the US food supply is safe from contamination. The GAO recommended that the OMB needs to create a government-wide performance plan for food safety that would include
performance measures for food safety oversight.

Source: GAO, 3/18/2011

Study Concludes US Navy Must Adapt to Climate Change Challenges

A report commissioned by the United States Navy concludes that climate change will pose profound challenges for the service in coming
decades, including a need to secure Arctic shipping lanes, prepare for more frequent humanitarian missions, and protect coastal installations from rising seas. The 15-month study, conducted by the National Research Council, accepts the scientific consensus that the climate is changing and that the effects are being felt now.The report from research council, an arm of the National Academy of
Sciences, builds on previous work by the Pentagon, State Department, the intelligence community and independent research groups that have concluded that climate change is a “threat multiplier” that adds new and unpredictable dangers to global physical and
political stability.

Source: NRC, 3/23/2011

SEARCH

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Bing Launches Attractions Pages

Bing launched its new Attractions Pages for travelers visiting locations around the world. Users can search for
a given attraction and read reviews, see upcoming events, and view photos of their destination. The company says its database of attractions includes more than 50,000 destinations, and is curated in collaboration with Frommers, TripAdvisor, WCities and
Zvents.

Source: Vendor, 3/17/2011

Yahoo Launches Search Direct Instant Query Results

Yahoo launched its new Search Direct feature on its standard search page. The new tool presents searchers with answers via a drop down menu that updates while they type their query, similar to Google Instant. The technology attempts to find the 10 most likely searches relating to the users’ terms, and presents the top 3 results for each search. These 30 results draw from trending topics on Twitter as well as Yahoo’s standard Web indexers. The company says this is a beta launch, and that it plans to expand the new feature to include more topics, and a wider range of content.

Source: Vendor, 3/23/2011

SECURITY FLAWS & FIXES

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Adobe Releases Bulletin for Acrobat, Reader Flaw

A critical vulnerability has been identified in the authplay.dll component that ships with Adobe Reader and Acrobat X. The vendor issued a security bulletin along with updates to address this flaw.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Adobe Fixes Zero-Day Flash Player Flaws

Adobe released a security advisory to address zero-day vulnerabilities in Flash Player. The vendor recommends upgrading to the latest
versions of Flash Player and Flash Player for Android to mitigate risks.

Source: Vendor, 3/18/2011

Update for Mac OS X Available from Apple

Apple has updated Mac OS X to fix various vulnerabilities. All information about this update is posted in an article on Apple’s Web site. Users should apply the update
immediately.

Source: Vendor, 3/21/2011

Apple iPhone 4 Users Beware Unpatched iOS Vulnerability

An unpatched vulnerability has been reported in Apple iOS 4.3 running on iPhone 4. No patch is available yet, and users should avoid browsing untrusted sites.

Source: Secunia, 3/24/2011

Honeywell Scan Server Target of ActiveX Control Vulnerability

A critical flaw has been discovered in Honeywell ScanServer ActiveX Control version 780.0.20.5. Users are instructed to set the kill-bit for the affected ActiveX control.

Source: Secunia, 3/21/2011

Microsoft Updates Security Bulletins Related to Windows Kernel

Microsoft made an informational change to a February security bulletin regarding vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel. The bulletin’s
level is considered important. Microsoft also re-released another February bulletin pertaining to flaws in Windows Kernel-mode drivers. That bulletin is rated important and the
update has clarified which software is affected by the vulnerabilities.

Source: Vendor, 3/18/2011

Flaw in RealPlayer Could Release Arbitrary Code

A buffer overflow flaw in the IVR file processing capability of Real Networks‘ RealPlayer could result in the execution of arbitrary code. No advisory has been issued, but users are warned not to open IVR files from
untrusted sources.

Source: Secunia, 3/23/2011

SECURITY PRODUCTS & COMPANIES

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ADT, Brivo Integrate Access Control Offering at GSA Facilities